Canon DSLR Speed Challenge #303---HARD

Now get out your dictionary or your thesaurus to get inspiration or ideas for this week's theme; HARD. You've got a lot of latitude with this theme, so go for it and get creative! Submission, EXIF and photograph name are all that is needed. Simply follow the below posted rules, and let your submission speak for itself.

One more thing; do not forget to include the photograph's name in the message subject line of your post.

This challenge begins when posted, and will end at 10:00 p.m. Pacific time Sunday, 20 October 2013. Winner of this challenge will be announced shortly thereafter.

Standard Rules apply:Photo Submissions:

1. Camera - Any CanonDSLR Camera2. Time - any on-topic photo taken at any time is eligible, although photos that have won other competitions should NOT be entered.3. Size - Please visit Image Posting Rules.4. Post-Processing - do whatever you like and the host will decide if it works.5. Posting - * ONE PHOTO per photographer in each challenge.*Photo Name in the message subject line.*Camera model & lens used.* Notes -- post brief EXIF data including ISO, shutter speed and aperture used.6. Commenting - No commenting during challenge. When the posting is closed and a winner has been declared, comments can be made in this thread.7.Keep it clean, and both Family and Work safe.8.Have questions, PM me.9. Have FUN!

One challenge every week, on the following schedule:

* New Topic - After winner is declared.* Posting Starts - Right after topic is announced.* Posting Ends - 10:00 p.m. Pacific Time Sunday, 20 October 2013.* Winner from this competition decides the theme of the next one (and judges it for a winner) after this competition is closed.

I'm a big fan of images where people are caught watching other people, and I thought Jake's image was awesome.

Funny, this topic of Jason's came up before my image was even taken. But I suspected that I might have an entry, as I had a shoot scheduled for Thursday of this gentleman. As is typical for me, I tend to pick out one image, edit it, and then give myself a day or two before turning on the juice and start editing the others. My subject is into wall climbing and bouldering, so the idea of adding a rock to some of his poses came naturally. He's an old work friend of my daughter's, and I hadn't seen him for over 2 years, so when he stepped off the train sporting his dreadlocks, I knew this shoot could be something special.

Jon:Wonderful composition, you've captured the emotions in a beautiful way. Very well done, Jon.

lewismd:A sleepy lion of stone. Your exposure is good, but in my opinion, the framing and aperture used are both off to me. The frame feels crowded, and the most of the lion is just little soft per using f/1.8. Now that brings to mind something I would have tried; the lion is tough, hard, and being carved from stone further exemplifies HARD. I would have purposely taken several frames well OOF, to contrast the Hardness of the subject. Hey, it's just how I think. Something to think about when you put the viewfinder up to your eye. Thanks for submitting.

Kevan:Very good composition and exposure, and use of off-camera lighting. I also really like your post, I really like desaturated images. Also, good posing of your model, just very well done. Now, a bothersome nitpick that did not detract enough from your image winning. There is a white outline around most of your model, it's almost like your model's image was cut from another picture and then pasted on a different picture. Could be the lighting, could be the post, or I could be right...Still, a winner for me.

Mo:Lovely composition, and excellent exposure. Were you on a moving vehicle? I ask becuase had you moved a bit over to your right, you could of centered the domed building in the background between the legs of the Eiffel. Did you go up the Eiffel?

Kel:Nice take on the challenge, I enjoy seeing interpretations that go beyond a single definition. The colored lighting effect seems alien, odd. Did you explore other framing directions, or was this HD mounted, giving you limited composition? I like your direction, but I think you can do better. Nice effort!

Jake:Yes, performing in public is hard for some...but obviously not the individual who is shredding a balancing act. On a hard case, no less. I like your exposure, and I do not terribly mind your center framing, but I find the scene cluttered and the subject blends in too much. Since most of the subject is out of framing, the objects in which the skater is balancing on become vastly important, and need to be separated from the background crowd. I need my eyes to find the objects, then follow upwards to the skaters legs. You shot at f/5.6, perhaps f/2.8 could have given you enough subject separation, but that all depends on your distance to subject. I'm not talking 85L blur, but just enough to bring OUT your subject from the crowd. Still, a nice capture!

waz0wski:Once again, kudos go out to another who is looking outside the box. Thank you. It's a nice exposure, but there is little else beyond the word-play that keeps my interest. If possible, explore multiple compositional directions to turn a photograph into an expression. Good effort!

Jason: Thanks for the words. Yeah, it wasn't much of an effort.. i've been sick with the cold the past few days, and was just farting around the house. My favorite colors are purple and green.. what can i say?

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